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Post by Shirley on Jul 15, 2008 0:46:55 GMT
I checked out the pictures on your Bebo, Marisa - you look fab, and I love your kitten! All the men in town must have been looking for an invitation to that launch - there are some seriously gorgeous ladies in the pics!!
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Post by Marisa on Jul 15, 2008 13:35:17 GMT
Ah Shirley, you're as good! Can't wait for some feedback now. You'll have to tell us which stories you particularly enjoyed. The good thing is that you'll be able to pick it up and put it down as some of the stories are quite short. Thanks again, Marisa XXX
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Post by Mary on Jul 15, 2008 19:08:03 GMT
I've posted a review on to my website www.marymalone.ie/page7.html if anyone is interested in taking a peek. this will also be published in the Evening Echo.
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Post by Marisa on Jul 15, 2008 22:28:56 GMT
That's such a brilliant review, Mary! You obviously put so much thought into it. It makes me want to read it again even though I've read it over 100 times at this stage. I could almost recite the whole book in my sleep! I can't wait to see it in the paper now.
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shaz
Full Member
Posts: 125
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Post by shaz on Jul 16, 2008 9:48:33 GMT
The review is great and the photos are fab. I'm afraid to say I haven't seen this book anywhere yet in England. I've looked in Waterstones and WH Smith. Have ordered it online but still not arrived
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Post by Marisa on Jul 16, 2008 10:44:37 GMT
Hey Shaz, sorry that you've been kept waiting. Most of the books only arrived in the Eason Irish shops before this weekend. However I sent a load over to amazon yesterday so you should have it really soon and hopefully it'll be worth the wait. Marisa, X
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Post by franmt on Jul 16, 2008 23:14:30 GMT
Hi Marissa I bought this book today. It looks brill and I had a look at the photos. Gosh you all looked so glamorous it must have been a great night. Good luck with the book, it's for such a worthy cause. Especially Guide Dogs For The Blind. My Grandad had a guide dog and he was his life as well as his eyes. He was such a special dog. His name was Benson and I will never forget him. When my Grandad was alive, he was very involved in raising money for Guide Dogs For The Blind, so I'm sure that he is smiling down from heaven about the book!!
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Post by Marisa on Jul 17, 2008 19:26:24 GMT
Hi Fran, that's so nice to hear a personal story like your granddad's. He must have really loved Benson. The guide dogs really are amazing but did you know it takes €35,000 to train each dog so that every bit of funding from us helps. I really hope you enjoy the book and thank you so much for buying it and helping the animal causes. Will you please, when you have time, write a little review here? I love hearing readers' opinions and the different stories people love. The funny thing is that everyone I've spoken to likes different stories, which is good - it means that there are stories in the book for everybody. Happy reading. Make sure you have a tissue or two handy, especially when it comes to reading Patricia Scanlan, Mary Malone's and Sarah Ball's stories!!! Marisa x
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Post by susanmay on Jul 18, 2008 9:47:38 GMT
Loved your short story Mary. Also Jacinta McDevitts and Sarah Webbs.
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Post by hannah24 on Jul 19, 2008 1:00:01 GMT
So lovely to hear your story about your Granda Fran ...they are also one of my favourite charities to give to...other than the animal rescue charities here, RSPCA its called...they do fabulous work and are always worthy of help...I know where my pennies will be going if ever the writing journey is successful...! This was a wonderful event for animals over there to benefit from, AAA praise to them, I'm eager to receive my copy Susanmay was kind enough to send over for me...look forward to reading the stories.
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Post by franmt on Jul 19, 2008 16:20:13 GMT
Thanks Marissa & Hannah. Yeah it's amazing what it costs to train a guide dog. I sometimes help with collections for Tipperary Friends Of Animals. Oh what I would give to have the space and time for a little rescue centre.
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Post by claire on Jul 20, 2008 7:36:57 GMT
The kids were playing in the garden the other day after dinner when they were shouting that there was a parrot in the tree! There was indeed a tiny yellow dwarf parrot, he was beautiful. But where did he come from? we knew nobody with one so he either flew away great escape style or he was set free because someone was going on holiday. I had some bird seed and after a few minutes he was eating out of our hands. The only thing I had to keep him in was a shoe box, I know not very bird friendly, put him in it with some water and food and had to leave him in the shed. Hubby and I both had bad reactions to the bird, no way could we keep him. I called the local pet shop and she thankfully took him in, said she would keep him if nobody came looking. He was so tame.
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Post by Marisa on Jul 20, 2008 10:35:48 GMT
That's so good of you Claire to call the Pet Shop. At least the owner will look after him. I cannot understand how somebody would set a pet parrot free into the wild. I mean, they are not used to fending for themselves. I am always baffled when I hear of animal cruelty. I got my little kitten Jagger from the DSPCA. The mother cat had three kittens as she hadn't been spayed and the cat's owner left them into the DSPCA. I asked the people in the DSPCA about the kittens as the three of them were in a small cage. They told me that Jagger's brother and sister had been offered a home but not him. I couldn't bear the thought of him being left all alone in the cage so i took hom home. We have so much fun together!
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Post by allyoconnell on Jul 21, 2008 11:05:06 GMT
I have the book and am really enjoying it. But why only photos of bimbo models and none of the actual authors? Seems a bit unfair!
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Post by Susanne O'Leary on Jul 21, 2008 12:56:35 GMT
We were at the launch but didn't pass the glam test....
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Post by claire on Jul 21, 2008 14:35:28 GMT
lol susanne, they must have been very glam, it would be hard for you to fail that test
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Post by Susanne O'Leary on Jul 21, 2008 15:15:04 GMT
Oh, how kind of you, Claire. But I'm afraid the stakes (and the bust measurements) were a bit too high for me...
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Post by Marisa on Jul 21, 2008 15:23:55 GMT
Nobody should be called a bimbo because of the way they look. It is such a negative thing to say about somebody you don't know. I am shocked.
In the photos are Rosanna Davison who is a massive animal lover and such a warm, kind, super intelligent person. She agreed to support me on the night as she is a good friend of mine and would do anything for animals. I was so appreciative of her attendance. The other girl Glenda Gilson with the microphone was actually there to report on the launch of Party Animal for Xpose, and the other people in the photos are representatives from Whiskas and the staff from the animal rescue centres who came to Dublin especially for the night.
The photographer was hired by Whiskas so he concentrated on the Whiskas representatives and the animal charity workers. It was so busy that night that I didn't have time to direct him and besides I couldn't have been ordering him about anyway.
There were about 150 people there on the night and I would have loved to have got pics of everyone.
I'd like to add that all the authors on the night looked really lovely and were the height of style. I was very proud and hugely appreciated that so many of them turned up to lend their support! I couldn't have wished for a better turn out. And I think everybody had a very enjoyable evening.
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shaz
Full Member
Posts: 125
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Post by shaz on Jul 21, 2008 16:55:28 GMT
Got my copy of this book today and can't wait to start it. Just need to finish reading the book I'm reading at the mo.
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Post by Marisa on Jul 21, 2008 18:31:32 GMT
Can't wait to hear your feedback Shaz. Really hope you enjoy it! Xx
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Post by Mary on Jul 21, 2008 21:37:21 GMT
glad you enjoyed my story, Susan, and I did enjoy writing the review, Marisa (as well as reading all the stories too....) - I just wish I could have mentioned everybody! Always something to worry about. Hope it's selling well. I've written an article on women and pets if anybody wants to take a read at www.marymalone.ie/page6.htmlThis is another opportunity to promote Party Animal and will be published on the Evening Echo! There will be photos but I haven't attached them here for privacy issues.
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Post by Marisa on Jul 22, 2008 10:07:58 GMT
That's a lovely piece, Mary - well done! Bit scary about that snake though!!!! God, that'd give me nightmares.
I never knew Susanne had a horse called Surfboard. I have to say I love horses too. We have a mare called Dancer. She's like part of the family!
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Post by Shirley on Jul 26, 2008 22:30:29 GMT
I haven't read all the stories yet, but my favourite from the ones I've read so far is The Nine Lives of George Black by Sarah Ball. I'd never heard of her, but I just looked her up there and found her website. I like her style of writing - I'd deffo read one of her books after reading that short story.
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Post by Shirley on Jul 27, 2008 11:16:31 GMT
Susanne, I read your story last night - is it a true story, or fiction? If it's true, how is Sheba getting on?
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Post by Susanne O'Leary on Jul 27, 2008 18:17:18 GMT
Yes, Shirley, it's a true story. It happened exactly like that. Sheba found her way into my heart and stayed. We had five wonderful years during which she was a much loved member of our family. But, sadly, she died suddenly of a hear attack while out chasing a cat. It was terrible, like losing a dear friend.
She never left my side and came with me when I rode my mare, galloping beside the horse, her tongue lolling out, jumping into the river from time to time when she got a bit hot. She used to lie by my feet when I was watching TV and if anyone called her, she would look around as if to say 'please, we're watching a show here.' In fact, she would never come to anyone when she was with me, even if they called her name.
I miss her so much and haven't been able to get a new dog yet, as no dog seems to measure up.
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Post by Shirley on Aug 4, 2008 15:40:06 GMT
Aw, that's really sweet, but sad too. Poor Sheba. But it sounds like she had a great life with you guys.
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Post by claire on Aug 9, 2008 20:28:48 GMT
that is so sad and lovely at the same time Susanne
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Post by Marisa on Aug 17, 2008 13:03:41 GMT
SUNDAY INDEPENDENT REVIEW
Sunday August 17 2008
Party Animal
Compiled by Marisa Mackle
Dodder Books, €14.99
Party Animal is a collection of animal-themed fiction and non-fiction articles compiled by the bestselling novelist Marisa Mackle.
Sponsored by Whiskas, the cat food people, this book truly is a labour of (puppy) love, with all 36 contributors, plus illustrator James Coyle, giving freely of their time and talent for the greater good of their (mostly) four-legged friends.
(One wonders, incidentally on how many legs stick insects -- because they, too, feature -- perambulate. But no matter.)
From gifted amateur to skilled professional, what links this eclectic mix of contributors is their sheer animal passion; that, and their means of expressing it, is what gives the book its, ahem, bite.
Marian Keyes mixes her trademark humour with an imagination that defies even itself to bring us Patch and Sox, a pair of sheepdog/ King Charles spaniel crossbreeds led astray by a duo of debauched Peruvian llamas who spend their days smoking cigars nicked from the QE2, and their nights cavorting around Lillies and Renards in a Mercedes SL convertible. No, really. What's more, it's entirely plausible. Well, sort of.
Then there's Maeve Binchy's Counsellor Cat, a moggy with aspirations above her station -- indeed, species.
In an ideal world, Sheelagh would have been a psychologist. As it is, her career options are limited to working her feline wiles on her master and mistress, a pair of full-time writers prone to fussing.
Sheelagh's modus operandi is to lead by example: thus when her master is worried about a poor review, or her mistress is stressed over a deadline, Sheelagh simply chills out in front the fire, and suddenly it seems like a brilliant idea to just open a bottle of plonk and relax.
As both Binchy and her good man are themselves full-time writers and wine aficionados, one wonders about this Counsellor Cat. However ...
All told, cats feature in no fewer than 12 of the book's articles, giving man's best friend a run for its money.
While most of the moggies are fictional, a few are for real, and all the more poignant for it: I defy any cat lover to read Patricia Scanlan's account of her twin kittens Hope and Joy and remain dry-eyed.
Then there's Evan Fanning's wonderfully crafted little piece about his recently deceased terrier, Jack. As big in ego as he was small in stature, Jack was unequivocally racist and homophobic from the off. Fat kids, postmen, other dogs, Cork people -- he hated them all.
But perversely, in the way that only those who themselves have struggled with unequivocally racist and homophobic mutts can understand, such negative character traits served only to further endear Jack to his long- suffering owner, who is now mourning his loss. As you do.
Party Animal also features goldfish, budgies, stick insects, a zebra, a rabbit rejoicing in the name of Elvis, and an errant Taoiseach. Oh yes.
And of course, Oliver, the neutered tomcat of novelist Julie Parsons, who has more in common than one could ever imagine with the world's greatest philosophers. How so? One mustn't say. Besides, Parsons says it so much better. Her sublime little vignette alone is worth the price of the book.
With all profits bound for animal charities such as Ash Animal Rescue, The Donkey Sanctuary, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and Drogheda Animal Rescue, the newly launched Party Animal is already flying off the shelves.
But you don't have to be an animal lover to love it; the love of a good story, well told, will suffice.
- Margaret Carragher
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Post by megan on Aug 17, 2008 19:29:44 GMT
Great review. Well done Marisa and all those who contributed.
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Post by Oonagh on Aug 19, 2008 11:56:01 GMT
a fantastic review. congrats to all involved.
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